Two comments. 1) The manufactured rivalry (by the B1G) is a joke. 2) Perhaps Illinois fans are getting the team we deserve.
Memorial Stadium Game Day Experience
- Status
I wish they would just go back to paper totally. I always kept the ticket for collection
illini80
- Forgottonia
I did the same. I’d don’t see that it’s that difficult to give people the option, but they’ve been adamant about it. I’m sure it saves a couple bucks, but in the big picture where you are selling an experience, I’m not so sure.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Is the wifi/cell service at MS still terrible?
Because that's a solved problem at as ancient a venue as Wrigley Field now, it's just a matter of doing it.
I'm as big of a Boomer luddite as you'll find, but phone-based ticketing is very convenient and a big improvement, IMO.
See not for me. I'm younger and when I went to a basketball game last year vs Purdue it took me forever to figure out how to download the tickets
I went to a big event in August in Knoxville that still used paper tickets and it was so nice and so easy, walk up show ticket and you are in.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
At the Wyoming game I had a solid 4 or 5 bars for cell service (AT&T) yet the internet via that cell service was almost non-existent. I've never experienced that before--usually when I've got bars I've got internet, but maybe it was a capacity thing.
I didn't find any in-stadium WiFi networks - does that even exist at MS?
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Yeah, that's how it always used to be. Not just at MS, anywhere you were in a big crowd of people.
I don't know what the tech fix is that solves that, but they've done it at Wrigley, Solider Field, the UC, I haven't had that problem in awhile.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I think they need to expand the towers and/or the specific routes for internet traffic. Hopefully that's what is taking place in JW's reference to AT&T working on the towers near MS.
I guess I'm spoiled having lived in a pretty large metro for 25 years (ATL) where the cell coverage was almost over-saturated in some areas. Moving back to the flat land has been an adjustment on a few of those things. That and finding bars that stock proper single-malts.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
You can print paper tickets from the e-ticket, but they take a full sheet of paper. I still print them for backups, especially for parking in case it's raining.
I loved it back in the 80s where the football season tickets was a single card sheet with perforated tickets and there was a unified design across the entire set. I probably still have a stack of those in a box somewhere.
My first thought as I waited to get into the stadium was what a disaster a sold out crowd would be. They can’t handle 30k people. They’d be completely overwhelmed by 60k.
I can’t think of a clearer indication of the program’s institutional resignation to being subpar. They just assume that Illinois doesn’t have a product people want to see and prepare accordingly.
I can’t think of a clearer indication of the program’s institutional resignation to being subpar. They just assume that Illinois doesn’t have a product people want to see and prepare accordingly.
Internet and phone still stink at Ohio Stadium even after the "supposed" upgrades.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Hey Ran , do you listen to Brian B. and Martin O. when you are at a home game ?
Asking for myself and NL# 3 & NL # 1..............................
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
How has Grange Grove been through two games? I feel like it follows this path each year:
A) Early Home Games: About a third to a half full with the diehards but pleasant enough due to great weather
B) 2-3 Big Ten Games vs. Decent Opponents: Legitimately great environment that shows the tailgating potential we have here
C) November Home Games: Same as (A), with the weather being worse but the opponent being better
D) Thanksgiving Break and/or Northwestern Game: An empty and depressing joke
I imagine the Iowa game will have our best crowd and tailgating atmosphere of the year, especially if we can go into it 5-1.
A) Early Home Games: About a third to a half full with the diehards but pleasant enough due to great weather
B) 2-3 Big Ten Games vs. Decent Opponents: Legitimately great environment that shows the tailgating potential we have here
C) November Home Games: Same as (A), with the weather being worse but the opponent being better
D) Thanksgiving Break and/or Northwestern Game: An empty and depressing joke
I imagine the Iowa game will have our best crowd and tailgating atmosphere of the year, especially if we can go into it 5-1.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Fighter, your choice A is correct for the first two games. I agree with your B, but I’m hoping your C and D will be wrong because the Illini keep winning…
It was very solid yesterday. Had most of the new basketball players signing autographs and posing for pics, which attracted folks. Had a band that a lot of local Parrot Head fans follow (Boat Drunks).
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Wow, this should have been my trip down from Chicago! I’m a proud second generation Parrot Head or “Parakeet.”
LGIllini
- La Grange, IL
So it looks like giving out free student tickets is a success! It's too bad the students are stuck in the north end zone - put the kids behind the Illini bench! My fear is that the student section will be full and then rest of the stadium will be empty as a Thursday night game will be a tough one for many season ticket holders and casual fans...
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Does anyone actually think putting all the students in the NEZ is a good idea? I was on campus when it happened and thought it absolutely sucked. In the 15 or so years since I've yet to see a convincing argument for it. It's kind of shocking this still hasn't been rectified.
I was never in the student section (worked for the team during my years there), but I really have never thought it was that big of a deal. They aren't "that" far away from the action, they have the whole area to themselves, and it is especially cool with the band right in front of them when a team is marching towards that endzone. Is it perfect? No. But I think we also have not seen many good seasons besides its first year so I am willing to see where it goes from here!
The whole redesign was a debacle, from the idiotic decision to take out 10k seats to the idiotic idea to segregate all the students in the NEZ. I can't imagine anyone thinking this was a good idea
They are closer than the fans in the horseshoe.
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Memorial Stadium is lacking in atmosphere. You're quarantining the people that will actually get loud and create an intimidating environment to the farthest part of the stadium. Much like the Orange Krush needed to be right on the court, Block I should be right on the sidelines where they used to be.
I long for the day we actually get good enough to justifiably redesign it. Neither aesthetically pleasing nor functional. Just a hideous waste of space.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Which isn’t saying much … an otherwise beautiful stadium is so severely handicapped by the abomination of the horseshoe. It’d seriously look better if nothing were there.
I’ll confess complete ignorance here. Where are the student sections at other schools? If we accept that what we have going doesn’t work, what does work?
I know when they moved the Krush in basketball however long ago that was, DUI looked at places like Duke and where they put their student section. Who should football be emulating?
- Status